Cory catfish comprise a beloved freshwater aquarium group thanks to their energetic, peaceful nature and unique appearance. With well over 100 varieties, identifying different cory catfish species can seem confusing at first. Learning how to identify the most common types makes selecting your favorites easier.
Corydoras Sterbai
Out of all cory varieties, corydoras sterbai stand as one of the most recognizable and popular. These catfish grow to around 2 inches long and exhibit handsome black and white banding along their bodies.
Distinguishing Features
Sterbai corys feature a cream underside and throat. They have two thick black stripes running horizontally across their sides contrasted by white bands above and below. Their black adipose fin and white tail fins complete the look.
Temperament & Housing
Peaceful and active, sterbai corys thrive in planted tanks of 20 gallons or more with schools of 6 or more catfish. Provide them with plenty of sheltered bottom territory.
Feeding
Sterbai corydoras eagerly accept most bottom feeder foods like shrimp pellets, sinking algae wafers and even blanched vegetables along with supplemented live, frozen and flake brine shrimp, tubifex worms and micro pellet foods. Feed just once or twice daily since they require minimal calories.
Banded Corydoras
The banded cory catfish (corydoras metae) offers a subtler yet beautiful and contrasting look among cory varieties. Exhibiting an elegant gray and black color pattern, these catfish grow to around 2.5 inches long.
Distinguishing Features
Silvery gray overall with black edging their fins and three thin stripes running vertically along their bodies characterize banded corydoras. Their underside displays bright orange or reddish coloring around the throat.
Temperament & Housing
Banded corys thrive in planted community aquariums of 25 gallons or more with several cory groups totaling 6 catfish or more, along with other compatible fish like small tetras or rasboras. They occupy all levels of the tank happily scavenging for leftover foods.
Feeding
Offering sinking foods like shrimp pellets, algae wafers and other sinking bottom feeder fare makes feeding simple for banded corydoras. Meatier supplements are relished as well. Avoid overfeeding them.
Green Corydoras
The small green cory catfish reaches just over 2 inches maximum size but packs loads of visual appeal into its little frame. Metallic green sheens overlaying black fins and a black and white body never fail to dazzle.
Distinguishing Features
Iridescent greenish hues shine brightly over the black portions of their fins and upper half while the lower body and throat displays clean white. Some metallic blue sheens may mix in with the green as well.
Temperament & Housing
Unsurprisingly green corys make amazing tank cleaners for planted community setups with other small shoaling fish species provided the tank is 30 gallons or larger. Keep them in busy groups of 8-10 catfish.
Feeding
Green corys forage actively across all tank levels for morsels of fish food, plant matter and tasty aufwuchs growth. Feed a mixed bottom feeder diet of vegetables, spirulina algae, shrimp pellets and meaty foods.
Conclusion
With well over a hundred unique corydoras species available, fishkeepers have lots of wonderful options to consider when selecting these popular armored bottom feeding catfish. Stunning sterbai, banded and green cory varieties make excellent starter species that thrive when kept in appropriately sized tanks furnished to meet their needs. Discover your perfect cory!
FAQs About Cory Catfish Identification
1. What are the most colorful cory catfish?
Some exceptionally colorful varieties include the laser, neon orange, glowlight, similis, metae, panda, pygmaeus and adolfoi cory species among others.
2. How do you tell male vs female cory catfish?
Mature female corydoras tend to exhibit a rounder, thicker body shape while males show a more streamlined slender physique, especially noticeable when viewing them from above.
3. What is the rarest cory catfish?
A few ultra-rare and expensive cory species include C. tukano, C. duplicareus and C. cardinalis which can cost $300-500 per fish. Habitat destruction limits their availability.
4. What cory catfish have stripes?
Some commonly striped varieties are C. sterbai, C. trilineatus, C. duplicareus and C. metae catfish. The three lined cory features three black stripes along a white body.
5. How many cory fish can go in a 10 gallon tank?
Most recommend keeping just one single species group of 4-6 pygmy corydoras in a moderately planted and maintained 10 gallon aquarium. Avoid mixing multiple cory species in small tanks.